The final NHS report into the PIP breast implant scandal has concluded the silicon gel used in the implants, is "not toxic and not carcinogenic".

The report will come as a welcome relief to the 47,000 British women who are thought to use the implants, manufactured by French company Poly Implant Prothese.

The NHS Medical Directors expert group said the implants will ony cause irritation if they rupture, and do not pose a long term health risk.

However the report did find that after 10 years the PIP implants have a higher chance of rupturing than other brands.

It states that PIP implants have a 15 per cent to 30 per cent chance of rupturing over the course of ten years, while other brands have a ten per cent to 14 per cent rupture rate.

Professor Norman Williams, president of The Royal College of Surgeons, said lessons must be learnt.

Williams said: "The PIP breast implant issue brought into sharp focus the need for better regulation and surveillance for all surgical implants.

"It is the view of the College that we should, as a minimum, have mandatory databases for all surgical implants and associated techniques which would provide ongoing patient safety data."